Distributed Storage

Peer-to-peer lender RateSetter has been named the exclusive administrator of the South Australian government’s Home Battery Scheme. Based on a funding deal with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, RateSetter will offer $100 million in loans in cases when the upfront costs of the home battery system installations are not met by the South Australia government subsidies.

For renewables to claim a more sizable share of the global energy mix, the adoption of energy storage would need to pick up pace and the rapidly increasing size of the EV fleet will offer a scalable way to ramp up such access, says Fitch Solutions.

Mercedes Benz execs join Eguana Technologies to help drive Calgary-based business’ global expansion plans.

The All-Energy Australia 2018 exhibition & conference kicked off in Melbourne today. Safety of products and quality assurance was prominent in discussions at the country’s largest PV conference and trade show in its early hours. Big funding announcements at the opening plenary made headlines.

Under the terms of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Musk will be ineligible to serve as chair for three years. The deal also involves a $40 million penalty and structural changes at Tesla.

The Dunsborough Community Energy Project is announced as Australia’s first privately funded virtual power plant.

Applications have officially opened for 50% rebates on rooftop solar installations under the Victorian government’s Solar Homes program, announced just weeks ago. The subsidies will be available until 30 June next year.

Australia’s policy maker for the energy markets has approved the establishment a national register of small-scale distributed energy resources, which will give AEMO and distribution network businesses more data to help in planning and operating the power system as it transforms.

Although initially expected to deliver around 650 MW, Victoria’s first renewable energy auction has smashed the goal, delivering 928 MW of renewable capacity. Six projects will be developed in total, three wind and three solar, under the state’s renewable energy target. In a separate announcement, the Andrews government promised to provide half price solar batteries for 10,000 Victorian households, if re-elected.

The South Australian government will launch its Home Battery Scheme in October, which will offer South Australians subsidies of up to $6,000. In the wake of the government’s announcement, the German storage provider has revealed plans to manufacture up to 50,000 battery storage units at the former Holden site in Elizabeth, creating hundreds of jobs.